1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to training devices for billiards and more particularly to a training device to improve billiards player's shooting skills.
2. Background of the Related Art
Billiards is a very difficult game to learn and master. The task becomes even more difficult if a player is attempting to teach themselves the skills of the game. Many have tried to create new methods to help novice players. These methods generally include instructional books and videos. But these solutions lack the ability to physically show students what they are actually doing wrong so that they can correct their technique and continue to improve their play. Of course, novice billiards players may hire a professional billiards instructor, but they are expensive and not always available in all parts of the country. Therefore, there is a perceived need within the community for an inexpensive and novel solution to instructing the novice billiards player proper cue alignment and stroke technique.
Novice billiards players also typically have the bad habit of focusing on the cue ball rather than the object ball when practicing shots. Although instructional videos and books and professional instructors can warn the novice player of this bad habit, there is currently no device which can actually catch and correct this mistake as it is happening. Therefore, there is a perceived need within the community for a billiards shot training device that trains the novice billiards player to focus on the object ball.
Additionally, even more experienced players have difficulty applying proper left and right English to shots. Many players improperly shift their aim when attempting to add left or right English to their shots. Instructional videos and books, by their nature, lack the capacity to catch the player making this mistake and properly correct it. As noted earlier, a professional instructor can correct a student, but they are expensive and not always available. Therefore, there is also a perceived need in the community for a device to teach players of all skill levels proper application of right and left English to their shots.